Ink fountain



1929. H. c. SCHROEDER 1,736,945

INK FOUNTAIN Original Filed July 7, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1929. H. c. SCHROEIIDER I ,7

INK FOUNTAIN Original Filed July 7, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ZNVENTORQ ATRNEY latented Nov. 26, 1929 UNITED STATES HANS C. SCHROEDER, OF LA GRANGE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNQR 'IO GOSS PRINTING PRIESE PATENT QFFl-CE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS INK FOUNTAIN Original application filed July 7, 1926, Serial No. 120,909.

Serial No. 211,715.

My invention relates to printing presses and more particularly to the ink fountains employed in printing presses, and to means for keeping the pigment of the ink uniformly 5 distributed throughoutthe body of the ink in the fountain while using any particular kind of ink under any particular set of operating conditions. My invention further relates to automatically agitating all the ink in the fountainwhile the press is running.

This application is a division of my copending application, Ser. No. 120,909, filed July 7th, 1926.

Objects and advantages will bet set forth in part hereinafter and in part will be ob vious herefrom, or may be learned by practice with the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention consists in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations, improvements and method herein shown and described.

The accompanying drawings, referred to herein and constituing a part hereof, illustrate one embodiment of the invention, and together with the, description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Of the drawings Fig. 1 is a vertical section along line 1-1 of Fig. 3, through an ink fountain of the overshot type, equipped with one form of my invention;

5 Fig; 2 is a fragmentary vertical section on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view, partly broken away, ofthe fountain shown in Fig. 1.

To more readily distinguish my invention from other inventions, and to comply with Section 4888 of the Revised Statutes, I shall briefly refer to the form of ink fountain which is now commonly employed in printing presses;

The usual type of ink fountain for a printing press is provided with a rotatable fountain roller which rotates a portion of its surface in contact with the ink in the fountain at all times, so as to accumulate ink to be trans- 0 ferred tothe ductor roll. At the point where currents.

Divided and this application filed. August 9,

the rotating surface of the roller emerges from the fountain there is positioned a doctor blade which serves to scrape the surplus ink from the surface of the roller. As the fountain roller rotates, it sets up a local convection current or eddy in the ink adjacent to its surface. This convection current travels with the surface of the roller to the point of junction of the roller with the doctor blade. Since a relatively small amount of ink is allowed to pass to the edge of the doctor blade, the convection current is rebuffed or turned away from the surface of the roller and trav els in a reverse direction on a course slightly divergent from the. surface of the roller for a certain distance, when it completes its circuit by being drawn back to the rotating roller surface. Thus there is set up in the ink a local convection current which, however, fails to effect the great mass of ink in the fountain removed from the roller and which, therefore, is left dead or unagitated. After the press has been running for a comparatively short time itis found in practicethat the pigment is withdrawn or used up from the local current of ink described above and consequently the ink which is pickedup by the fountain roller becomes thin and loses color. Under the present practice, when this condition arises, the doctor blade has to be somewhat further separated from the fountain roller in order to obtain sufficient color from the thin ink which is being fed from the local Again, in the present practice, when the press is idle there is, of course, no local convection current, so that the pigment throughout the body of the ink tends to settle to the bottom of the fountain, thus causing an uneven distribution and mixture of the pigment with the ink and making it necessary to stir up the ink by hand or other means i in order to secure a proper mixture. Ordinarily in running color, it is necessary for the pressman to stir up the ink in the fountain by hand about every 15 minutes.

By my invention I eliminate all these obj ectionable features and insure that the pigment in the ink will be uniformly and automatically doctor blade to permit an additional quantity of thin ink to be taken up by the fountain roller, for by use of the invention, the coloring content and the consistency of the ink will always be uniform, insuring uniformity of color in the printed product. Further, any tendency that the pigment has to settle out by gravity will automatically be corrected by currents of ink set up in the fountain.

lvly present invention is directed to a novel method of causing the local convection currents set up in the vicinity of the fountain roller of the ink fountain of a printing press to diverge from their natural paths and flow through the mass of ink in the fountain which is removed from the fountain roller in such a way as to thoroughly agitate said ink and set up and maintain an even'distribution of the pig merit therein.

My present invention is also directed to means for directing the flow of the above mentioned convection currents throughout the mass of ink in the fountain so as to ob tain and maintain the most desirable mixture of the pigment or coloring matter 11] the ink. The invention is further directed to effecting and maintaining the desired col or and consistency of ink in the fountain by a method which requires the introduction of no forces other than those employed in the actual operation of an ordinary ink fountain;

My present invention is adapted to carry out the novel method describedabove for agitating and maintaining the proper mixture and distribution of ink in the ink fountain with any particular kind of ink used under any particular set of operating conditions which may vary the ink used.

My present invention is adapted to carry out the novel method described above for agitating and maintaining the proper mixture and distribution of ink in the ink foun tain with any particular kind of ink used under any particular set of operating conditions which may vary the nature of the ink used. V

As more fully set forth and shown in my copending' applications Ser. No. 211,712 Ser. No. 211,713 Ser. No. 211,714: filed of even date herewith, the presence of a suitably positioned bane plate in an ink fountain of a printing press will deflect from the local convection currents set up by the rotation of the fountain. roller through the ink, away from the vicinity of the fountain roller and throughout the mass of ink in the fountain, with the result that the pigment of said ink will be maintained in the proper proportion throughout the entire mass of ink." In other words, the proper direction and control of the convection currents will insure a thorough circulation and agitation of all the ink in thefountain with the attendant beneficial effects on the printing qualities of the ink. The flow of the ink and the convection currents set up by the movements of the fountain roller depend to a great extent upon the character of the particular ink used, the temperature at a given time, and a number of other conditions. It is therefore'highly desirable to be able to vary the position of the baffle plate to meet these conditions and to direct the convection currents of ink so as to obtain the most ethcient and constant mixture, consistency, and coloring of the ink. Experience has shown that for certain kinds of ink used under particular conditions of operations, the best results are obtained when the baffle plate is of curved or approximately curved surface, the direction and amplitude of curvature depending upon a given set of conditions of operation and the par ticular ink used.

Referring now to the embodiment of the invention, illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings 21 (Fig. 1) is a standard form of ink fountain for a printing press equipped with the ordinary form of overshot fountain roller 22, co-operatlug with the usual ductor roll, (not shown). This fountain 21 is provided with the ordinary form of doctor blade 23 supported in any suitable manner at 23, all as in the usual practice.

Means for deflecting the convection cur rents set up by the rotation of the fountain roli'er 22, which rotates in the direction in- V dlcated by the arro-w,are provided for carryout the method of my invention. A multipart balile plate comprising the forward section and the rear or heel section 66, tccured to the brackets 51, 51 by rivets or any otbracket 51 is keyed to a rod 53, (Fig. 2), the ends of which are loosely journalcd in the downwardly extending arms 15(3,xwhich e):- tends across fountain and to the opposite end of which is keyed a similarly arranged supporting; means for the baffle plate. Since the supporting and variable positioning mechanism for balile plate consists of duplicate sets, one at each side of the fountain 21, only one of these sets will be described. Pinned to the rod by the pin is the upwardly extending arm 5%. The bracket 51 is a horizontal extension of arm 156. The arm 156 is pivotedon stud 60, mounted in a slot 61 in the bracket 62, fast on the fountain 21. As shown in Fig. 1, the multi-part baffle plate 65. G6 is suspended in the fountain 21 so that the forward section 65 lies in a plane substantially parallel to the bottom ofthe fountain 30 at a slight angle to the heel section 66, which lies in a substantially hori' zontal plane.

Means are provided for varying the position of the entire multi-part baflie plate 65,

.ior suitable fastening means. The

66 so that it can be nicely and accurately set so as to best carry out its function of:

tion of ink in the fountain under any par--- tcular set of operating conditions. Referring primarily to the mounting of the arm 156, the stud is maintained in position by means of the nut (F 2). It is readily apparent that by loosening the nut 63, arm 156 is vertically slidable within the limits of the slot 61, and means are thereby provided for varying the vertical position of the en tire multi-part bali'le plate within desirable hints in order to meet varying conditions of operation. Further, the loosening of the nut 6 3 permits of an angular movement of the arm 156 about its pivot GO, whereby a further variation of the position of the entire baffle plate can be obtained.

Referring now to the arm 54, it will be seen that means are provided for independently changing the angular relation between the two sections of the multi-part baffle plate. The upper end of arm 54 is proyided with arcuate slot 57 through which extends a thumb screw 58 mounted on the arm 156. It is clear that by loosening the thumb screw 58 the angular inclination of the section can be varied within the limits of the arcuate slot 57, and by tightening the thumb screw 58 such angular inclination can be set and maintained;

It clear by the use of the various combinat ons of the above described variable positionin means, the baffle Jlate can be set in any position relative to the fountain roller, the doctor blade and the bottom of the fountain, which is desirable for the carrying out of its function under any possible set of Working conditions. Also by virtue of the last described means, it is possible to nicely position not only the whole baffle plate, but to change the form thereof to meet a given set of conditions. that is, the changing of the angular relation between the two sections 65 and 66 fjlVCS the multi-part baffle plate the approximate form of a curved plate whose curvature ca be changed at will within desirable limits. For example, the arrangement shown in Fig. 1. gives a baffle plate whose 'torwa o edge lies adjacent the surface of the rotating fountain roller and the gen eral ouLline of which is that of a plate of upwardly convex curvature. it is readily conceivable that v movingthe section 65 through the angle determined by the slot 57 that a plate of downwardly convex curvature will be obta ned. Any desired curvature bethese indicated limits is of course, as ly obtainable.

to be understood that my nmlti-part bailie plate is not limited to two or any particular number of sections, the two sections shown in the present embodiment being so shown merely I01 convenience of description and illustration. I

What I claim is 1. An ink fountain for a printing press including in combination a fountain roller adapted to rotate therein, and means to determine the direction. of the ink currents, throughout the fountain comprising a baffle plate formedof a plurality of sections.

An ink fountain for a printing press including'in combination a fountain roller adapted to rotate therein, and variably positionable means to determine the direction of the ink current throughout the fountain comprising a baffle plate formed of a plurality of sections.

3. An ink fountain for a printing press including in combination a fountian roller adapted to rotate therein, and means to determine the direction of the ink currents throughout the fountain comprising a baffle plate formed of a plurality of sections, one of said sections being variably positionable with respect to the others.

4. An ink fountain for a printing press including in combination a fountain roller adapted to rotate therein, and variably positionable means to determinethe direction of the ink currents throughout the fountain comprising a battle plate formed of a plurality of sections.

5. An ink fountain for a printing press including in combination a fountain roller adapted to rotate therein, and means to determine the direction of the ink current throughout the fountain comprising a baflle plate formed of a plurality of sections, one of said sections being variably positionable with respect to the others.

6. An ink fountain for aprinting press including in combination a fountain roller adapted to rotate therein, means to determine the direction of the ink current throughout the fountain comprising a baffle plate formed of a plurality of sections, and means to vary the horizontal position of said bafiic plate to change the direction of the said current.

7. An ink fountain for a printing press includingin combination a fountain roller adapted to rotate therein, means to determine the direction of the ink current throughout the fountain comprising a battle plate formed of a plurality of sections, and means to Vary the vertical position of said bathe plate to change the direction of said current.

8. An inkfountain for a printing press including in combination a fountain roller adapted to rotate therein, means to determine the direction of the ink current throughout the fountain comprising a baflle plate formed of a plurality of sections, and. means to vary the angular inclination of said baffle plate to change the direction of said current.

9. An ink fountain for a printing press including in combination a fountain roller adapted to rotate therein, means to determine the direction of the ink current throughout the fountain comprising a baiiie plate formed of a plurality of sections, and means to vary the horizontal and vertical position of said baffle plate to change the direction of said current.

10. An ink fountain for a printing press including in combination a fountain roller adapted to rotate therein, means to determine the direction of the ink current throughout the fountain comprising a baffle plate formed of a plurality of sections and means to vary the horizontal and vertical position and the angular inclination of said baffle plate to change the direction of said current.

11. An ink fountain for a printing press including in combination a fountain roller adapted to rotate therein, means to determine the direction of the ink current throughout the fountain comprising a baffle plate formed of a plurality of sections and means to vary the angular relation of said sections to give to said baffle plate the effect of a curved plate.

12. An ink fountain for a printing press including in combination a fountain roller adapted to rotate therein, means to determine the direction of the ink current throughout the fountain comprising a baffle plate formed of a plurality of sections, and means to vary the angular relation of said sections to approximate a curved plate of upwardly convex Curvature.

18. An ink fountain for a printing press including in combination a fountain roller adapted to rotate therein, means to determine the direction of the ink current throughout the fountain comprising a baffle plate formed of a plurality of sections, and means to vary the fountain comprising a baffle plate formed of a plurality of sections, and means to vary the angular relation of said sections to give to said battle plate the effect of a curved plate of any curvature between desired limits.

15. The combination in an ink fountain of a printing press of a fountain roller, and a battle plate formed of a plurality of sections; said bafiie plate being adapted to effect and maintain a uniform mixture of ink in the. fountain.

16. The combination in an ink fountain of a printing press of a fountain roller mounted therein and a haflie plate formed of a plurality of sections, one section being variably positionable With relation to the other sections for the purpose ofvarying the direc- HANS o. SCHROEDER. 

